Angel Beats: The Perfect Name
by GeneralPen0412
Summary: Set after Angel Beats 1st Beat. Otonashi has been reincarnated and is now married to Iwasawa. As the pair prepares for another life changing event, they reflect on how they reunited and ended up exactly where they are now. Rated T for Teen!
1. Chapter 1: Reunion

**Greetings everyone.**

As promised due to the unforeseen delay of my previous FanFiction, I have decided to post this one instead.

Hopefully, my viewers will not be to disappointed. In the meantime, please rest assured that the final chapter of Gunray's Disposition is coming along nicely.

As you probably saw from the details, this story was originally only going to be one-chapter-long.

However, as I started writing I realised that there was a lot of potential with this story and that this would never fit into a single chapter.

As such I will expand upon it, and this story is now going to be roughly three to four chapters in length.

This time: - it's an Angel Beats story, and this one is special because ...

... **this is my first** _ **ever**_ **Angel Beats story!**

 **Depending on the reception, I may write another Angel Beats FanFiction!**

Now, I am pretty sure that some of you out there would like to know the finer details.

Well, here they are. Obviously, if you do not want to read them, please skip this part: -

 **Setting:** Set after Angel Beats 1st Beat, this story takes place in an alternative universe where one of the routes from the visual novel is canon. Following the events in the afterlife, Otonashi has been reincarnated and is reunited with his long-lost love interest.

As they prepare to face their ultimate destiny, both reflect on how fate brought them together and how they ultimately reached the point where they are now.

 **Story Rating** : This story is rated T for Teen owing to - mild language, suggestive themes, hospital scenes alongside references to abuse, alcohol, disabilities, operations and upcoming parenthood.

Also please be aware that a lot of speculation and proposed character history will take place within this story line, and that the characters might seem off from their original fan base.

That is why this is only a FanFiction.

 **Couples** : Otanoshi x Iwasawa, plus hints of Hinata x Yui.

If you do not agree with any of these, sorry but this is my story.

Before we get started, however, there is just time for a quick ...

 **Disclaimer** : As always, any official characters, quotes etc. associated with this franchise belong to their rightful owners, who I wish to thank for creating in the first place.

... and now we can begin.

 **Please enjoy!**

* * *

" _Our lives were real! Not a single moment of them were fake! Everyone lived the best they could! We carved those memories into ourselves! Memories of living as hard as we could! No matter what kind they were, they're the life we led!"_

 _ **Yuzuru Otonashi**_

 _ **Angel Beats Episode 6**_

* * *

 **Angel Beats: The Perfect Name**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Reunion**

* * *

It was late evening, bordering on midnight, so the stars shone down brightly overhead.

Twenty streetlamps hummed in the darkness, illuminating the empty sidewalks. Otherwise, all was quiet in this small residential area. A few people had left their rubbish bins out for the dustmen to collect the following morning, as light penetrated the scene from behind several drawn curtains, indicating the house owners were still awake.

Apart from that, everything was silent and still.

The tranquillity of the night was broken by the squeaky grumbling of a garage door, creaking as a set of mechanical winches hoisted it off the driveway. This was followed by the muffled purring of a car's engine. A set of headlights lit up the relevant driveway and empty streets. With a soft purr, the car rolled gently down then out of the driveway, at a sedated pace. It made a quick right turn at the gateway then pulled up immediately adjacent to the building it had just left.

The interior alarm beeped in protest as the car's sole occupant vacated the driver's seat and returned to the house leaving the engine still running. A tall lean man in his late twenties he chanced a glance at the back seat of the vehicle then approached the residency at a brisk pace. Taking a small fob from his pocket he closed the garage door behind him then made his way towards the front porch, smiling warmly as it came into view.

Standing on the porch was a young woman who was leaning against the sidewall for support. She was roughly the same age as the man approaching her, and she returned his affectionate smile as he came into view.

"Are you ok?" Yuzuru Otonashi asked kindly as he came up alongside her, taking one of her hands in one of his own, whilst using the other one to check that the front door was securely closed.

"I am fine Yuzuru" Masami Otonashi reassured him for what must have been the sixteenth time that evening. "You left me here for about two minutes at least". The fingers of her left hand were slowly caressing his, allowing the diamond studs on her golden ring to twinkle beneath the outside light.

Turning away from the door, Otonashi moved closer, placing his free hand on her right shoulder. "Doesn't stop me worrying about you" he explained, leaning forwards in order to exchange a small passionate kiss with her. As they pulled apart, he amended his statement, "About _both_ of you actually".

The pair looked downwards, and with a small chuckle, the male Otonashi tenderly caressed his wife's belly, drawing a small laugh from her. With that, Yuzuru transferred an arm to his wife's shoulder.

"Thanks", Masami said gratefully as she leant against him for support. Turning their backs on the residency they set off down the pathway at a slow steady pace towards the waiting vehicle. They both knew that it would be several hours before they re-entered that home again, days even and that when they did their lives would never be the same again.

Under normal circumstances, the walk to the sidewalk would have taken about twenty seconds at most, but these were not normal circumstances. It took about two minutes for them both to reach the car, and as Yuzuru leant forwards to open the side door, one hand still wrapped around his wife for support, Masami Otonashi breathed an inward sigh of relief. The cool night air soothed the woman's warm, slightly itchy skin. One of her hands was still rested against her swollen belly, a sure sign that she was expecting.

Slowly, Otonashi helped to lower his wife into the passenger seat, then strapped her in place. Masami watched as he walked around the car and soon joined her on the driver's side of the vehicle. As Yuzuru strapped himself in, he exchanged an excited look with his wife.

 _ **This was it! After all these long years, the moment was finally here ...**_

With that Otonashi put the car in gear, and the pair set off for the hospital.

* * *

 _ **Twelve years earlier ...**_

* * *

 _Lightning streaked across the grey covered sky, followed by a distant rumble of thunder. It was barely seven o'clock but the dense overcast had transformed the dull miserable day into premature night time. Thick black puddles coated the streets, which continued to grow in size as heavy raindrops pelted the city driven harder by the bone chilling wind._

 _Dozens of men, women and children marched or jogged along the saturated pavements, making for the shelter of nearby bus stations, small cafes, restaurants and indoor markets. Most supported thick heavy raincoats that were already drenched all the way through. Others held sturdy umbrella's over their heads, that blotted out the worst of the rain but offered little protection against the biting winds. Those lacking the protection of either of these items were forced to cross their arms directly over their heads or else utilise the briefcases and disintegrating newspapers upon their person to minimal effect._

 _One person, however, trudged along the pavement in a seemingly uncaring manner, paying no attention to the storm._

 _Wrapped in a thick overcoat and scarf, Yuzuru Otonashi walked down the pavement at a serene steady pace. His gaze was turned downwards to avoid the sporadic raindrops and chill winds. He held a thin umbrella in one hand and a can of coffee in the other, which he took a swig from as he ambled slowly down the walkway. Slung across his back was a large sports bag, which judging from its size appeared to be crammed to bursting point, perhaps contributing to his steady march._

 _A car sped past, driving through a thick puddle, showering Otonashi and several other pedestrians with dense water droplets. Many people screamed in protest, then turned momentarily in order to curse the driver. Otonashi did not care and so he simply walked on._

 _Some people took their anger out on him, shouting at him to move aside or else for him to get a move on when he obstructed them. He offered no apology or retort and simply kept on walking, sipping his virtually depleted beverage. Above the sound of the storm, there came the faint chant of music playing somewhere in the distance, but Otonashi paid little attention to it._

 _As he drained the last of his beverage he gagged a little, following it up with a loud retching cough. He raised an arm and held it over his mouth whilst steadying himself, thinking at first that a little of the drink may have gone down the wrong tube. As he crunched the can up in his hand, however, he began to recognise the symptoms._

 _Despite the thick layers, his clothes like most peoples were now drenched through, his face stained by precipitation, chilling his skin and causing him to shiver. This coupled with his coughing from a few seconds was an indication that he was starting to come down with something, probably a cold or flu or something else along those lines. 'Great' Otonashi thought miserably to himself as he trudged further along the path, 'that's all I need'._

 _What else could he expect, though? He had been spent most of his day walking down random streets, with no destination in mind. Noticing a set of vending machines beneath a small overhang on a building across the road, Otonashi altered course. He had been caught out in this storm when it started two hours ago, he realised as he crossed at a zebra crossing and made his way towards the machines._

 _Was it any wonder then that he was starting to feel ill?_

 _The rain stopped abruptly as he walked underneath a small overhang, sheltering the vendors. Dropping his umbrella to one side, Otonashi threw the now empty can into a nearby recycling bin and went about purchasing a new one, taking relief from the temporary shelter. 'What do you expect though' he thought sullenly, now shivering slightly as he entered the pin number and the relevant can dropped from its shelf into the holder. 'Life has been unfair to me so far, why should now be any different?' He retrieved the can, opened it up and took a long grateful sip._

 _There was another flash of lightning and a loud clap of thunder but Otonashi had grown accustomed to it these past few hours, and so he barely reacted. Turning his back on the vending machines he leant up against them lazily, as another fitting cough racked his body. This area offered temporary shelter but was not a permanent solution. Gazing absentmindedly along the high-street, Otonashi took note of his surroundings. The streets were virtually empty by now, but a few people still ran about here and there. Occasionally a car whizzed past along the vacated roads, but nobody stuck around for too long. Apart from the rain, the only other sounds came from the building next to his own. Separated by a narrow pathway, a young woman was strumming and playing something that sounded like a guitar._

 _Turning back to the situation at hand, Otonashi took another sip of cold beverage as he contemplated for the millionth time what he was going to do? Again, no answers came to mind. The night would be setting in earnest soon and Otonashi knew that he had to find shelter by then, or else he would get even sicker than he already was._

 _This he realised was one of the disadvantages of not having any friends to turn too. As he scooped up his umbrella, however, Otonashi accepted that he had nobody to blame but himself for that particular predicament. It had been a long time since Yuzuru Otonashi had had any real friends._

 _Deciding to take advantage of what little shelter he could get, Otonashi made his way towards the buildings perimeter. He then crossed the small space that separated the two buildings at a run not even bothering to unfold his umbrella. Judging by the look of things he was standing underneath another set of apartment blocks. Not to far away, the young woman was still singing._

 _Nobody else was there, it was just the two of them. Thinking it best not to linger he walked right past the guitarist, without looking at her. She must have had her eyes closed because she continued to play without greeting him. She appeared to be caught up in her lyrics, as she carried on singing without breaking tune. If she was playing in order to make a few coins or to entertain people she didn't appear to be having a lot of luck. Yet this did not appear to phase or deter her in the slightest._

 _Pausing at the perimeter a coughing Otonashi glanced down the high street, taking another sip of coffee, the woman's lyrics ringing in his ears as he tried to plan his next move. Most of the shops and cafes had blanked windows, indicating that they were either closed or had power outages. No good in either event, as he would be forced to leave in due course. Sighing slightly, he withdrew his head back underneath the temporary shelter. Otonashi glanced at the coat pocket where his wallet was stored. No good, he lamented, hotel rooms were also out of the question; he did not have enough money even for a single night's stay._

 _Feeling even more miserable, he glanced around and noticed a small alleyway across the street that was dark and grimy. Here his medical expertise kicked in and Otonashi immediately dismissed the idea. He sighed dejectedly, as another racking cough took over._

 _The only other possibility now was a youth hostel, but Otonashi was keen to avoid those unless absolutely necessary. 'Besides' he thought sadly, compressing his beverage can slightly, 'I'm not even sure where the nearest one is'._

 _Alternative options no longer presented themselves._

 _Seeking some form of distraction, he took another swig of coffee, coughing a few times as his illness gradually took hold. Lost and alone, Otonashi took to staring blankly out at the rain-soaked ground in front of him. There was another flash of lightning followed almost immediately by another loud clap of thunder, which reflected his mood perfectly._

 _As the rumbling died down the guitarist's tune caught Otonashi's ears and with nothing better to do he started listening to her singing. The chorus resonated through his being and a small smile actually touched Otonashi's features, as he realised that he was actually starting to like this song. Whoever this singer was, she was very good and passionate about what she was doing. She had to be in order to play out in a storm like this._

 _The smile vanished from Otonashi's features as he started paying more attention to the lyrics, however, and was replaced by a look of shocked comprehension. He had heard this song somewhere before! Not on the radio, or at a music store, not even on a television programme featuring some concert._

 _This song had never been published before!_

 _But he had actually heard this song sung before, in person ..._

 _... in person ..._

 _... in a different lifetime!_

 _Not only that but the woman's voice sounded hauntingly familiar!_

 **No!**

 **It couldn't be ...!**

 _Otonashi turned slowly on the spot; and looked upon the guitarist clearly for the first time. A small gasp escaped Otonashi's lips, his eyes widened slightly and his body went rigid. The coffee can fell to his side, spilling its contents over the concrete floor and Otonashi's trainers, before slipping from his grasp, hitting the pavement with a loud clatter._

 _It was this unexpected sound, which finally distracted the singer. Still swaying with the momentum of the jig, she opened her eyes and shot a curious, but disapproving look in his direction, her smile fading slightly to show her annoyance. The song died off immediately as her fingers stilled over her guitar strings._

 _She turned slowly on the spot in order to look at him fully, the expression on her face an exact replica of Otonashi's own. For the span of six or seven heartbeats, they stood rooted to the spot, as still and silent as statues. Otonashi's burgundy eyes met her vermillion ones._

 _Then slowly, the woman breathed ..._

" **Otonashi?"**

 _There was another flash of lightning, and a loud clap of thunder as he gasped ..._

" **Iwasawa?"**

* * *

...

* * *

 _The pair did not hug; ..._

 _... they did not kiss ..._

 _... or share any joy at the moment of their reunion._

 _In fact, Otonashi barely even remembered what had happened. All that he knew was that twenty minutes after reuniting with her, he was sitting in Iwasawa's apartment on her sofa, with a thick blanket draped over his shoulders. The rain continued to pour down heavily from outside._

 _Iwasawa herself was bustling around the small kitchen. "You shouldn't have been out in the storm like that for as long as you were," she said by way of reprimand, with perhaps a tinge of unease present in her voice, as he coughed audibly behind her. His cough subsiding Otonashi half turned his head, in order to say that she was one to talk but ultimately decided against it. Above everything else, he was extremely grateful to her for bringing him here._

 _Underneath the thick blanket, his shivering had abated slightly, though his skin was now irritable and itchy as heat distributed itself from the core of his body. Wrapping the blanket more securely around himself, he simply shut his eyes and closed himself off to the world for the time being. He heard the sound of a door open, then the tinkling of china as Iwasawa retrieved something from inside a cupboard before shutting it and returning to what she was doing._

 _There was the sound of pouring, followed by the clanking of metal on metal. There was the shuffling of footsteps and next thing he knew Iwasawa was standing right in front of him. "Here," she said crisply, and he opened his eyes to see her holding out a steaming mug of cocoa. "It will warm you up. Unless you want to get sick, we can't have you get any colder than you already are" she explained before sipping one of her own._

" _Thanks," Otonashi said gratefully as he took the mug from her with both hands. Warm instantly coursed through his fingers, as he lifted the ceramic to his lips and took a long grateful sip, draining a quarter of the liquid in one small gulp. Nothing in his life, food or beverage wise, ever tasted better than that one single mouthful._

" _There's more on the stove if you want some" Iwasawa added gesturing behind him with her own mug. Otonashi grunted by way of acknowledgement, then gazed absentmindedly at the floor clutching the steaming cup to him as an extra source of warmth. There was an awkward silence._

 _Over the rim of her own mug, Iwasawa looked at Otonashi pitifully noticing how drenched he was and how sorry he was looking for himself. At her request, he had removed his thick scarf and overcoat, both of which now hung over a radiator in the far corner to dry. Beneath the blanket she had made him sit on a folded up towel, in order to make sure that he didn't saturate the sofa any more than necessary._

 _Draining the last of her drink Iwasawa set the cup down on one of the small coffee tables and left him momentarily in order to retrieve something from her storage cupboard. She returned a minute later with another blanket and a thick towel in hand. Without waiting for acknowledgement she threw the other blanket around him, then began tracing the towel roughly across his scalp._

" _What are you doing?" Otonashi asked completely taken aback, not just by Iwasawa's actions but by her proximity to him as well._

" _Look at you, you're so cold and wet, I thought this might help" she explained as she carried on ruffling up his hair._

 _Otonashi offered no further protest but she could have sworn she heard him mutter "I can take care of it myself" in a quiet, almost inaudible voice. Iwasawa ignored him but stopped a few moments later, satisfied that she had taken care of the worst of it._

 _As she pulled away, she realised that his hair was now stuck up on all ends making him look like a large orange hedgehog or some of the old fashioned guitarists she was a fan of. The effect was almost comical, and Iwasawa offered a small laugh as the towel dropped to one side. Otonashi reached up with one hand and brushed his hair back into place, without smiling._

 _He then turned his gaze upwards and meet her stare. Iwasawa's smile vanished slightly._

 _Another awkward silence followed, in which the two of them stared at each other properly for the first time since entering the apartment. The rain continued to pelt against the window but neither of two teenagers was really sure about what to say to each other. Their minds were racing with too many turbulent emotions, many of which were simply beyond comprehension and description._

 _The mere fact that they'd recognised each other, however, was a testament to the fact that these two remembered the events that had taken place in the 'afterlife'._

 _Otonashi unleashed another bought of fitful coughing. Iwasawa's eyes widened in apprehension, as she knelt down in front of him. One of her hands gripped his shoulder. "Are you sure you're ok?"_

 _His response was a very unconvincing "Yeah-yeah I'll be alright" followed by a small smile. Otonashi's face scrunched up slightly, as he tried to fight off a gnawing headache. He opened his eyes to find Iwasawa looking at him sceptically. "Sometimes I just forget that this isn't the afterlife and that our bodies aren't as invincible as they once were". His sentiment was followed by another round of fitful coughing. Despite the warm blankets, he was still shivering._

 _It was their first reference to the afterlife, but in the heat of the moment, Iwasawa brushed it off. "I've got some medicine in the cupboard over there if you would like some," she said nodding towards another one of the cabinets behind them._

" _No!" Otonashi said quickly. "No, thanks, Iwasawa. It's alright I'm just a little cold at the moment, I'll be alright soon" he lied knowingly. "I really don't want to be a hindrance to you. So, if it's all the same to you I think I will just warm up here for a little while and then be on my way". There was another clap of thunder, then Otonashi realised something._

" _You are still called Masami Iwasawa aren't you?" he asked hastily._

" _Yes," she replied with a small despondent nod, caught off slightly by the sudden change of topic. "Yes I am still Masami Iwasawa, and you're still called Otonashi aren't you?" When he nodded, she asked curiously "And your first name?" causing Otonashi to realise that she had never learned what his real name was during the time she had spent with him in the afterlife._

 _"Yuzuru" came the simple response. "My full name's Yuzuru Otonashi. Same as it was in my previous lifetime"._

" _Good to know," she said with what could only be described as mild interest. "Because now that's settled I'd like to ask you something". Otonashi turned to look at her and saw that she was glaring at him rather intently. "Yuzuru Otonashi, what the hell do you think you are playing at?!" she asked angrily, her voice rising with each word. Otonashi's spine tingled slightly, as she said: "I brought you all the way back here half frozen, and you're telling me that you're honestly thinking of going back out in a storm like that?" She gestured at the window where the thunderstorm was still raging. There was another flash of lightning._

" _I told you that I don't want to be of any further hindrance to you" he offered meekly, without meeting her eye._

 _She knelt down in front of him, glaring at him. "I am already involved here," she told him flatly, her expression softening slightly "so do you really think that matters to me right now? The most important issue right now is your health. You are absolutely drenched here, look as though you are coming down with something and look as though you have walked a thousand miles. Why did you not catch a bus to wherever it is you are going and get a lift back home or something like that?"_

 _Her reproachful attitude, disappeared when she noticed Otonashi's reaction. His face had gone very pale; and his facial expression was suddenly very tense, almost fearful. He looked anywhere except directly at her and hugged the blankets even more tightly around him as if it had suddenly gotten even colder. Iwasawa's face blanked slightly and her raised hands dropped to her side as she recognised that she had touched upon a very delicate matter._

 _Before she could offer an apology, though, Otonashi said in a slightly dejected voice "I don't have a home to go back to, and I didn't have a destination in mind". That declaration shocked Iwasawa, causing her to stare at him perturbed. Without giving her time to dwell on it Otonashi added, "Besides, you were out there. In those icy cold conditions without an umbrella or anything else to protect you?"_

 _Iwasawa stared at him reproachfully for a second, then a small smile tugged at her features. "That was very different," she said in a mildly dismissive manner, "Like you, I had an overcoat on" she reminded him. "And unlike you, I actually 'planned' my excursion. Before I meet you, I was out in that storm for a few short hours, at most. What is more, I took shelter beneath that overhang before setting up my equipment, so I avoided the worst of the storm. I was also careful to make sure that I was within walking distance of my apartment. You on the hand look as if you have been out there for hours, with a big heavy bag draped across your back, slowing you even further down"._

 _Otonashi made no reply, he simply avoided her gaze. Iwasawa smiled pitifully at him, shaking her head slightly, her knuckles resting on her hips. "What sort of friend would I be, if I let you go out in a storm like this again?"_

 _She nodded at the window but Otonashi barely even noticed. His head shot up and he looked directly at her, staring into her crimson eyes, his heart skipping several beats. His blood suddenly felt like it was on fire and he was sure that his cheeks were starting to turn mahogany. This was their_ _ **first**_ _meeting across two separate lifetimes, and Iwasawa was already referring to him as her friend._

 _Not only that but she appeared to be genuinely concerned about his well-being!_

 _Iwasawa closed her eyes, shaking her head slightly at his stupidity, but there was a small smile on her face. Opening her eyes, she bent over the bag resting at Otonashi's feet. "Got any spare clothes within this carrier of yours, Mr Scatter Brain?" she asked as she undid the zipper, without Otonashi's permission._

 _Before he could do anything except offer a slight protest, Iwasawa drew away slightly, face twisted in disgust. "Never mind, looks as though everything in here's thoroughly saturated and almost as wet as you are". She pulled on the collar of a white shirt for emphasis, lifting it up between a forefinger and thumb. True to her word the white fabric was almost transparent._

 _Otonashi's expression soured slightly as he thought about all his other clothes, textbooks and electronic devices stored within that satchel. Before he could dwell too much on it, however, he started coughing again. Steadying himself he noticed Iwasawa was staring at him in a way which blatantly said 'I told you so!' Otonashi looked in the opposite direction, frowning slightly, more annoyed with himself than with Iwasawa. She was right, he had been very reckless._

 _With a small sigh, Iwasawa shook her head slightly. "I'll need to get the clothes rack out," she said letting the shirt fall, speaking more to herself than to Otonashi. Pushing herself to her feet, Iwasawa turned towards Otonashi, who glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. That small, kind smile was still present on her features, as she shook her head disapprovingly at him, then reached underneath the blanket and took one of his saturated sleeves in both of her hands._

" _Come on," she said pulling him tenderly to his feet, "I've got a spare bedroll, so you can spend the night here!" Otonashi's eyes widened slightly, but he said nothing as she led him away from the sofa. "The previous tenant left some spare clothes here, which I have been meaning to throw away. Fortunately for you, I never got round to it" she laughed slightly. "I'll see if I can find something in there that can fit you, whilst the rest of your stuff is drying"._

 _Otonashi gaped at her but didn't say anything as she led him through the apartment, taken aback by the certainty and unexpectedness of it all. He glanced downwards, noticing that Iwasawa's arms were still wrapped delicately around his own and that she herself was now standing very close to him. Otonashi's cheeks suddenly became very warm, causing him to realise just how cold the rest of his body was. Without thinking, Otonashi ran his eyes shamelessly over her figure, eyes settling upon Iwasawa's face. His heartstrings tightened as he recognised it as the face he had once adored and loved._

 _Iwasawa opened one of the doors and flicked a switch on the wall to reveal a small, neatly made bathroom, which was dominated by the sink in one corner and the bath in the other. "Come on Mr Sloppy Pants," she said, still clutching his arm as she pointed at the tub. "Run yourself a nice hot bath and warm yourself through. Shampoo and moisturisers are up there" she said pointing them out. "Leave those wet clothes in a pile by the door, and I will put them in the wash for you"._

 _Otonashi's eyes widened at the implications of what she was saying. "But then I'll be left standing here with no -" He couldn't finish the sentence._

 _Iwasawa flushed a little at the suggestion. "There are some spare towels up there," she said pointing next to the sink, "but if it is any consolation, I won't come in how does that sound?" Otonashi gave a small nod, his cheeks reddening slightly as he glanced in the direction of the bathtub. It was Iwasawa's turn to run her eyes shamelessly over his body. She added, in an almost sly tone "Your body shape appears to be the same as it was the last time we met. So, it's not as if it's anything that I haven't seen before"._

 _Otonashi glanced at her, his entire face turning crimson. Recognising that now was probably not the best time to reminisce, Iwasawa turned back to the matter at hand, a noticeable blush present on her cheeks. "Leave your wet clothes in a pile by the door and I will swap them over. Make sure to have a good long soak, that should give me time to set your bed up and prepare a nice hot drink to go down with your medicine"._

 _She released his arm before turning to leave, but Otonashi reached out and took her arm instead. "Iwasawa?" she paused, turning to look at him. "Why are you doing this. You don't have to go to all this trouble?"_

 _For a moment, they just stared at each other, in absolute silence. Then Iwasawa explained: "I know I don't have to Yuzuru, I simply want too". This was followed by another short silence._

 _Then Iwasawa reached out and slowly disentangled herself from Otonashi, the flesh of her hand momentarily rubbing against his. "Besides my offer doesn't come without a price," she added with a sly grin. "You are the first person I have encountered since leaving the afterlife," she explained pointing a finger at him. "In exchange for all of this, you are going to tell me about everything that happened once I had left. I am especially keen to hear about what happened to Girl's Dead Monster and whether you lot were able to defeat Tenshi or not"._

 _The matter was closed, Otonashi realised that. Without another word, Iwasawa turned her back on him and stepped out of the bathroom. Pausing at the door she turned to look back at him; and said "Straighten yourself up Mr Amnesia, and we'll talk more about this when you are ready," before closing the door behind her._

 _Otonashi watched her go with an awed expression. With another small cough, he slid the latch across, then started running the nice warm bath. As he stepped into the water, however, the full complexity of his situation fell upon him like a tonne of bricks._

 _Less than an hour ago Otanoshi had been faced with the very real prospect of spending the night out there, alone on the streets._

 _Now, however..._

 _... he was going to be spending the night, in the home and company of his ex-wife!_

* * *

 **End of Chapter 1**

* * *

Ok, everybody!

How's that for a first instalment.

Please, let me know what you all think. As always I accept any comments and welcome any R & R's.

As mentioned I will finish Gunray's Disposition next, and start writing Chapter 2 for Angel and the Demon in conjunction with this one.

Take care and I will see you all later!


	2. Chapter 2: Health and Safety

Hey, everybody!

I'm back again with the next instalment of Angel Beats: The Perfect Name. Sorry for the extensive delay, **a lot** has been happening these past months including my computer crashing so I lost ALL MY STORIES and had to start again from scratch. I am happy to see that people seem to be enjoying this story so far though.

Hopefully, this instalment will have been worth the wait.

 **Authors note(s):** This chapter contains scenes relating to illness, so any sensitive viewers please be cautious!

For any first-time reader's I will quickly point out one thing about the layout of my FanFiction's. Normally anything in _italics_ represents a flashback, i.e. something that happened in the past. I am sure that most of you have read enough of my stories by now to realise this. For this chapter, however, which takes place solely in the past I am going to try something a little different.

Also, if you haven't read any of my other stories and this is your first stop ...

...THEN PLEASE, CHECK OUT THE REST!

Also, I KNOW that the fan-base for Otonashi and Iwasawa is probably quite small, which is one reason I am writing this story; it is something different, and more importantly – **I like it**! For anyone who was expecting Otonashi and Kanade, please remember that I am a fan of this couple too, and when / if I think of a good story concerning them I shall write one.

Finally, just in case anyone was expecting more characters, do not worry, additional members of the Battlefront **WILL** make a cameo in this segment, and some will appear in subsequent chapters.

This chapter is going to set the tone for the rest of the story!

Right, I think that is enough said.

One last thing, and then we can get underway.

 **Disclaimer:** As you have probably guessed by now; Angel Beats and its characters do not belong to me! This story is non-canon and written purely for entertainment purposes! No copyright infringement intended.

Ok, everybody please enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 2 – Health and Safety!**

* * *

 _Twelve years ago, ..._

* * *

Much to Otonashi's chagrin, Iwasawa's prediction came true.

Despite their best effort's, his footslog in the bad weather took its toll, and he ended up coming down with a high fever.

The first indication that something was wrong was when he tried to get to sleep that night; a difficult task given the nature of the weather outside. Despite the warm bath, Otonashi's nose was now blocked and his throat felt slightly clogged.

Despite this, Otonashi eventually drifted silently into the world of slumber ...

... only to be confronted by a nightmare!

* * *

His dream was a collection of swirling images and jumbled voices.

Otonashi rolled over in his bed many times, sweating profusely. His brow twitched and he moaned incessantly, but no matter how much he willed it, Otonashi simply could not wake from his vision and recollections.

* * *

 _'You, worthless piece of filth!' a man's voice shouted, followed by a loud 'whack' and a pain-filled cry from Otonashi as he was sent crashing to the floor..._

 _...Hatsune was smiling as she hugged a new manga ..._

 _...she turned and smiled at him..._

 _...'Bro – thank you'! They were standing outside, on a cold winter's night. Hatsune was clinging to his back, as she breathed the words that brought him so much comfort for what would be the final time..._

 _...Otonashi's eyes shot open, and with a gasp he found himself lying flat on his back, staring up at the stars in a strange new uniform..._

 _... 'Otonashi ...' Igarashi's voice was pleading..._

 _...'Oto-Otonash-Otonashi'. Yes, he realised, that was his name ..._

 _...There was a girl kneeling across from him. A girl with lavender hair, who was looking through the scope of a rifle..._

 _'We are Not Yet Dead Battlefront!'_

 _...He was standing in the 'Principals office' alongside Yuri and the other members of the battlefront..._

 _...Kanade cocked her head to the side, curiously. Her face was expressionless as Otonashi spoke to her for the first time..._

 _...Hinata gave him a thumb's up ..._

 _...Yuri directed her hands towards a girl with short pinkish-red hair, identifying her as someone called Iwasawa ..._

 _... the second girl nodded but did not speak, a calm form of radiant beauty..._

 _...Otonashi blinked as he looked at her..._

 _...Hinata and Takafumi were thumping him on the back..._

 _'This is so stupid!'_

 _... He was standing alongside Shiina, Fujimaki, and Naoi, looking at something down one of the corridors..._

 _..."You want to die?"..._

 _... Noda advanced towards him, halberd armed and ready..._

 _...Kanade turned on the spot bathed in radiant sunlight to look at him..._

 _"Are you trying to disrespect me, I am God remember!"_

 _...Naoi, leant away as Yui jumped up and grabbed Hinata from behind..._

 _...The Shadows were closing in..._

 _...'Yuzuru?' Kanade's voice echoed, a set of angelic wings stretching out of her shoulder blades..._

 _...Iwasawa stood in front of him, hand pressed against his cheek. Otonashi closed the distance between them ..._

 _...and kissed her..._

 _...Iwasawa was laughing, arms outstretched as she spun on the spot..._

 _...smiling warmly, and affectionately at him..._

 _...Girl's Dead Monster was playing what looked like Crow's Song, but Otonashi could only hear Iwasawa's laughter as he watched from the side-line..._

 _...Otonashi, TK, Ooyama, and Matsushita had their guns drawn and were firing at someone..._

 _...Kanade dodged all their bullets and slashed at them with her hand sonics..._

 _...Hisako, Yui, Sekine and Irie all screamed as the shadows, flung them away..._

 _...He, Hinata and Yuri were all bleeding from extensive injuries, yet they continued to face down the shadows..._

 _...'We should thank Yuri, for everything' Iwasawa was saying, a hand resting against her swollen stomach, as she leant against Otonashi, who had his arm draped around her and was watching Iwasawa affectionately with tears in his eyes..._

 _...'You will never be missed!' a female voice was saying..._

 _...Otonashi stood alone in the dormitory room he shared with Hinata, staring miserably at a framed photograph which he held in one hand..._

 _...tears were pouring from his eyes..._

 _'I don't know why we even bothered having you in the first place!'_

 _...Otonashi was standing in the middle of the 'Principal's office' again, his head bowed. The remaining battlefront members stood around him, all looking at him with sympathetic expressions..._

 _...The wind ruffled his hair slightly as he stood alone on the rooftops, watching the sun go down the fingers of his right hand clutching the fourth finger of his left hand, which now bore a slightly pale stripe ..._

 _...'I hate you!' Otonashi's own voice cried out..._

 _...Iwasawa, tears in her eyes, with a look of absolute hurt and betrayal on her face, lunged out and struck Otonashi, hard across the cheek..._

 _...There was the sound of a door slamming..._

 _...Followed by a second one..._

 _...He watched the pieces of paper fly away..._

 _...Hinata had a comforting hand on his shoulder..._

 _...A depressed Otonashi walked down the corridor, his arm around Takafumi's shoulder..._

 _...Kanade looked over her shoulder, gigantic angel wings sticking out of her back, feathers flying everywhere..._

 _... Kanade reached out and patted his head softly making him look up at her..._

 _...He smiled up at Kanade, who was now sitting on the stone wall, looking down at him..._

 _...'Thanks so much for everything' he said gratefully..._

 _...He was hugging Kanade..._

 _...Yuri was hugging Kanade..._

 _...Otonashi, Yuri, Kanade, Hinata and Naoi stood alone in the hall..._

 _...'I will never forget what you did for me'..._

 _...Iwasawa who had a piece of white silk over her head as a makeshift veil raised his left hand up and placed a ring made from paper around one of his fingers ..._

 _...The four remaining members of Girl's Dead Monster cheered and applauded in the background..._

 _'I'll never forget what any of you did for me!'_

 _... The Battlefront at large was smiling at him..._

 _...Naoi smiled at him..._

 _...So, did Hinata..._

 _...Yuri..._

 _...Iwasawa..._

 _...'Never'..._

 _... And finally, ..._

 _...Kanade!..._

* * *

Otonashi woke with a jump, throwing the covers off himself. He gave off a startled cry. Lying flat on his back again, he wished that he could sit up but his head was spinning so badly it caused him to feel exceptionally giddy. Otonashi's cough and blocked nose were a lot more prominent now. The slightly tight pyjamas that had been provided, now stuck to him like a wet flannel.

His skin was saturated, and the pillows felt as if they had just been run through a washing machine. Despite the relative thickness of the blanket and relative warmth of the apartment, Otonashi found himself shivering. His breathing was heavy and laboured because his throat was clogged. Flecks of spit lined the corner of his mouth where he had been drooling.

There was a loud clap of thunder, startling Otonashi. Evidently, he had forgotten all about the wet weather. Mind clouded, he looked around frantically for the source of that noise. There was thick sleep in his eyes, making his visions blurry and distorted. From his position on the futon, the only thing that Otonashi could see was the confines of an untidy room, it's small furnishings, and other essentials alongside scrunched-up bits of paper littering the floor. In his groggy condition, Otonashi did not recognise any of them.

All he knew was that this was **not** his bedroom!

His surroundings were completely alien and unfamiliar to him.

Otonashi tried to sit up by rolling onto his side and propping himself up on one elbow, but he was only partially successful since this only made his headache even worse. Ten seconds later and with another spluttering cough, Otonashi gave up and collapsed back on the damp bedroll and pillows. Closing his eyes, he clutched his forehead with his left hand, as the right one rested upon his heaving chest. Otonashi applied a bit of pressure to his forehead abating his headache ever so slightly. It did nothing to dull his other senses, however. His limbs were heavy and numb (they felt as if they weighed a tonne). Reaching out blindly with his right hand Otonashi seized the hem of the blanket and tried to wrap it securely around his waist, feeling like a caterpillar in a half-finished cocoon.

He continued panting heavily ...

... his throat was so parched.

Otonashi was panting so heavily, eyes squeezed so tightly shut that he did not notice that the room darkened momentarily as a shadow fell across him. Nor did he hear the soft creaking of the floorboards as a set of slipper-clad feet trudged silently towards him. Neither did he register the soft 'thump' as something set down alongside him, followed by the faint sound of sloshing water.

It was only when a soft, slight cool object wrapped around his wrist and started gently lowering the position of his arms that Otonashi realised he was no longer alone. Opening his eyes slightly, he was confronted by the blurred outline of a figure with pinkish red hair looming over him. The said figure leant in closer holding out something white.

Cold water traced itself gently across Otonashi's forehead dribbling down into his eyes. He blinked a few times, to clear his vision, before finally opening his eyes to find Iwasawa staring down at him. Her expression was one of neutral concern, as she continued to gently wipe away the sweat from his face with a damp rag, her left hand still gently clutching his right wrist.

"I told you, you shouldn't have stayed out in that storm for as long as you did!" she said in a direct but gentle manner, withdrawing the flannel and dipping it back into a bowl of cold water. "Looks as though I should have given you more than cocoa and just one batch of medicine, though doesn't it?". Otonashi blinked silently, as the water started trickling down his cheekbones across his cracked lips washing away the spittle.

Iwasawa was dressed in a pink dressing gown, worn over a set of grey-blue pyjamas. Judging from the sleep under her eyes, she did not appear to have been up for very long either. Otonashi tried to speak, but the only sound that escaped him was a loud rattling gurgle. His throat was still clogged, exceptionally dry and to cap it all off it looked as if his tongue was slightly swollen.

Iwasawa removed the flannel from his face and relinquishing her hold on his radiocarpal joint, pressed a forefinger to his lips. "Ssshh" she whispered softly, "don't speak". Setting the cloth to one side, she reached into one of the pockets of her dressing gown, taking out a box of cold medicine. Extracting two tablets she shuffled sideways slightly closer towards Otonashi's dorsal end. "Open!" she commanded holding out the pills delicately between her forefinger and thumb.

Parting his lips Otonashi gagged slightly as Iwasawa dropped the pills into his mouth, being careful not to touch his tongue. He breathed deeply closing his mouth, watching silently as Iwasawa picked up a pint-sized glass of water with her right hand. She turned towards Otonashi and considered him for a moment. Then she shuffled even closer to him, and slipping her left arm behind his neck took a hold of his right shoulder and helped him to sit upright.

Otonashi gagged slightly at the change in his elevation and had to fight back an extremely nauseating headache. He was rewarded, however, by Iwasawa holding out the cup of thirst quenching water to him. "Here, drink this down," she said placing the rim against his cracked mouth. Otonashi closed his eyes and sipped it gratefully, with a soft sigh. As the cool refreshing liquid washed away the pills and saturated his aching throat-line Otonashi opened his eyes again, and suddenly realised just how close he was to Iwasawa.

She was not looking at him, however, not now anyway. Iwasawa's attention was on the glass. Her expression one of neutral calm and focus, an expression Otonashi had seen many times. This caused him to remember the visions from last night, why he was sick and how he had met up with her. He also recalled the first time he had ever actually spoken to Iwasawa.

Otonashi had been wandering around the school by his lonesome. He was still trying to acclimatise to the notion of being dead and 'living' in the afterlife when he came across what appeared to be an empty classroom. When he looked up from his cup of coffee, however, he saw Iwasawa, sitting on her own behind one of the desks compiling songs for Girls Dead Monster. Acting on some small whim, Otonashi had slid back the door, gone inside and talked to her.

Everything that happened after that, was history ...

This recollection stirred up the other memories and visions from his nightmare, which made Otonashi's insides tremble.

Iwasawa was so busy concentrating on contents of the glass, which was now half empty, had no way of knowing what was taking place inside Otonashi's mind until she suddenly felt him shiver against her outstretched arm. Her head turned slightly and she stared right into his eyes. Otonashi stiffened, gagging on a small bit of water as she asked, "Everything ok, Yuzuru?"

For a quarter of a second, the pair stared straight into each other's eyes ...

Then the small bead of water trickled down the wrong pipe into Otonashi's trachea and he was taken over by another spasm. Choking slightly, he spat most of the water still in his mouth back into the glass. Ignoring the pain that ran through his body, Otonashi placed his left palm upon the futon and sat bolt upright before doubling over and drawing his chest closer to his legs. Iwasawa's hand tightening slightly across his shoulder. Otonashi croaked violently, scratching his teeth on the rim of the glass. Iwasawa thumped him hard on the back several times to assist him.

He coughed and choked slightly as a large goblet of phlegm ejected itself from Otonashi's body throwing spittle and undigested water everywhere. Iwasawa drew the glass away from Otonashi, allowing him some more breathing space. Head spinning, Otonashi placed a hand over his mouth and held it there until the rest of the coughs subsided.

Once it was over, Otonashi took several deep calming breaths to steady himself. Breathing heavily through his mouth and blocked nostrils Otonashi realised that he felt slightly better than before. Blinking rapidly, with tears in his eyes and his head still pounding it was several seconds before Otonashi realised that Iwasawa was still supporting him. As he turned to say thank you, he realised that her left hand was now a curled-up fist, the fingernails digging slightly into his shoulder.

Her right hand tightened around the glass of water, which now contained a large goblet of greenish brown phlegm floating in the clear liquid.

Not only that, but her right hand was also partially saturated with dribbling clear liquid and flecks of brown!

Otonashi's insides tightened again, and he suddenly felt sick to his stomach again!

Except that this time it had nothing to do with his illness.

He caught his breath, which brought on another small coughing fit. He practically slammed the back of his wrist against his mouth as he turned his sore eyes upon Iwasawa. She continued to stare down at her own joint for an instant then turned her gaze upon Otonashi, glaring fiercely at him. Panting heavily through a combination of his fear and illness, Otonashi stared at Iwasawa in a most apologetic way possible.

"I'm so ... [cough] so ...orry ..." he rasped in a cracked, hoarse voice that was barely reminiscent of his own.

Iwasawa did not acknowledge the apology and continued to glower at him!

Removing her hand from his back, she placed it on his pecs and pushed him none too gently back into a horizontal position. She then got to her feet and set off without a change in her expression, one hand a balled-up fist the other diffing her fingernails into the glass. Otonashi cursed himself for not being able to control himself. She had been trying to help him and this was how he repaid her. Closing his eyes, he placed both palms across his face and continued to silently curse himself.

There was the sound of a door opening and the apartment suddenly became a lot breezier causing Otonashi to sniff loudly and shiver harder at the change in temperature. Taking one hand away from his face, he made a grab for the blanket and pulled it up towards his chest. He could hear the loud pounding of the rain followed by an extremely loud clap of thunder, which made him jump again. The sound was partially muffled however at the sound of a door closing.

The effects of the cold did not wear off immediately, however, and in his delicate condition, Otonashi continued shivering long after the front door had closed. Panting heavily, he thought he could hear the loud 'funk' of glass being dropped against something hard, followed by the sound of running water and the subsequent shuffling of footsteps.

The footsteps became even quieter.

There was the sound of a door opening, followed by a loud slamming noise.

Then the footsteps became even more prominent.

A soft 'thump', announced Iwasawa's return! Otonashi peeled the fingers slowly away from his eyes to find Iwasawa staring down at him again. That disapproving look was still on her face as she reached out towards him, with a set of tissues tucked neatly between her fingers. "Here, take these and blow!" she commanded firmly pressing the thin bits of paper against his nostrils. He did not object replacing her hand with his own and did so noisily. Iwasawa turned her head in the opposite direction, a look of disgust on her face as she reached into the pocket of her pyjama trousers and extracted a bottle of hand sanitizer. She squeezed out a large glob and began massaging it thoroughly into her fingers.

"That's your glass from now on. There's no way in hell I am ever using it again!" she said matter of factly. A relieved Otonashi removed the small piece of toilet paper from his nostrils, breathed the fresh air properly for the first time all day, then opened his eyes and looked right up at her. "Would you like another one?" she asked without looking up, nodding towards the small box located next to her.

Otonashi shook his head slightly. "Alright," Iwasawa said turning towards him, "but you're in charge of your own drink and nostrils from now on!" she said pointing a finger straight at him to emphasise her point. There was a small amount of hostility still present in her voice, as she directed her attention at the tissue still clutched in his hand. "Just throw that anywhere, for the time being. I'll clean it up later!"

Otonashi complied and threw the material towards the head of the bed away from either of them. Iwasawa sighed slightly as Otonashi turned to lay on his side. He started to hitch the blanket up around his shoulders when she reached out and started tucking it around him. "I've been meaning to clean up in here for some time now," she said absent mindedly. "I just ... never really got around to it".

She looked around the messy room then turned back to Otonashi who was staring up at her, eyes still twitching irritably. He coughed violently then looked up at her, still looking slightly ashamed with himself. Iwasawa breathed a small sigh.

"Hey, I know you didn't do it deliberately" she told him simply, as she reached out and clasped his shoulder. "I was only teasing. That being said, if I get sick now because of this then there is going to be hell to pay from you. Do you hear me 'cold boy'?" she said in a sarcastic way.

Otonashi managed a small smile and closing his eyes, nodded his understanding. Iwasawa smiled too and the angry façade soon faded, as she transferred her hand to his forehead. Warm instantly coursed through her fingers

"You're still burning up. Looks like we will have to postpone our little catch up session for the time being" she said matter of factly. "My guess is that you're going to be out of it for the next few days or so. We need to keep you warm and hydrated. That means you'll need plenty of bed rest and relaxation for you".

He continued to breathe heavily through his nostrils but nodded his confirmation to her statement. She took her hand away and stared down at the helpless figure in front of her. Like Otonashi, Iwasawa had found it difficult to get to sleep last night, mostly because of the rain amongst ...

... other things.

Ever since she was a small girl, Iwasawa had been able to recall the events and transactions across her previous 'lifetimes'. At first, she had thought that it was a simple repetitive dream but once she had put all the bits and pieces together she had remained hopeful that she might one day encounter someone familiar to her. Even if it was a long, forlorn hope it had still been one of the few things that kept her going.

Now, at long last, her wish had come true!

It wasn't exactly the reunion that she had been hoping for, but that did not matter to Iwasawa. The man in front of her had done more for her than any other person throughout the entirety of her existence. Yuzuru Otonashi, had achieved the impossible, he had helped Iwasawa come to terms with her existence and find peace within herself.

Closing her eyes, Iwasawa considered her options, including what she had contemplated last night.

Perhaps now really was time to return the favour.

She decided to follow her instincts.

With a small nod to herself, she looked down and said, "Hey, Mr Amnesiac, ... how would you like to move in here once all this is settled".

He clearly wasn't expecting this. Otonashi' eyes shot open, and he gazed up in bewilderment at Iwasawa. "W-what? ..." he finally whispered in a cracked, hoarse voice.

"Like I said that glass is now yours", Iwasawa explained nodding towards the sink with a sarcastic grin. "There is no way in hell I am ever using it again. Besides, you did mention that you didn't a home to go back to go back too" she added cautiously. "There's plenty of room available here, it's a two-bedroom apartment. I have mainly been using that extra room for storage but with your assistance, and a bit of organising I am pretty sure that this place can accommodate the two of us".

Otonashi's mouth was hanging open slightly and his irises were still twitching, though the later may have been more to do with illness than actual shock. He was looking up at Iwasawa as if she was insane. "I -" he said hesitantly, "I – don't think ..."

"You don't need to give me an answer right away" she reassured him, resting her hand against his chest. "Heck in your condition I am not sure if you're even well enough to give me a straight answer". He did not respond and Iwasawa's smile faded slightly, "Look, it's not as if we don't ... know each ..." she said carefully, as if sensing his fears. "Hey, and if money, is an issue, I know where there are some part time jobs going. Whatever your arrangements, the rents easily affordable".

 _Rent ...?_ Otonashi realised.

His brow curled curiously. "But ..." he said hesitantly, pausing as another cough seized control of him temporarily. "But - your, your parents ..."

"They won't mind!" Iwasawa said quickly, her eyes narrowing. The hand curled into a fist across Otonashi's sternum. "As a matter of fact, they **don't mind** , because I don't have anything to do with them!" She said this with a noticeable amount of venom in her voice.

Otonashi looked up at her confused, his curiosity peaked.

Iwasawa sighed, shaking her head slightly and closing her eyes. "Sorry, I went off on a bit of a tangent there, didn't I?" The palm opened and was resting on his chest again. "It's just that you touched upon a very sensitive topic there. You see ... my life ... it's been ... what you might say, more or less the same as my previous existence. Before I passed on I mean"

"Same Mum and Dad ..."

"... same circumstances ..."

"... same ..."

"... lifestyle".

"Except this time, I had my memories to help me through it all". There was a change in her expression as she said this, and Otonashi never quite forgot the way she looked at him in that moment. "I'm not sure exactly how, I suppose it must be some consequence from living in that second world? But somehow, I retained all my memories from my past existence. Judging from the fact you recognised me, I am assuming you had a similar sort of experience?". He nodded his confirmation, and she continued with her story.

"I am not really sure how I remembered, but at some point, in my life, it all came flooding back to me. Somehow, I just remembered it all my adoration for music, my willingness to fight on ... alongside all my dreams and other ambitions". She gave him a particularly funny look as she said this, but did not give Otonashi long to dwell upon it.

"I used those memories from both the afterlife, and this world to find solace and comfort in music from early on. I didn't intervene in as many of my parents fights as I did in my previous life. This time whenever they started I just left the house and stayed well away from home. Boy did I often get into trouble for that. As soon as I was old enough, I packed up my things and ran as far away from them as possible. I have been living here for almost three months now. In all that time, I haven't seen nor heard from my parents and good riddance to them".

Her eyes were closed again and she tucked a few loose strands of hair back behind one of her ears. Otonashi stared up at her, his mouth still hanging open a single tear now trickling down his cheek. She said it so dismissively.

He recalled the time she had told him about her first existence and the way she had said it in the same tone of voice. He had found it so horrifying, and once again, he found himself wondering how she could say something like this so calmly.

Then again ...

...he wasn't really one to talk ...

"The man who owns this apartment is a very generous person" Iwasawa said suddenly, bringing him back to the real world. "I used to keep his daughter entertained with my singing. I am sure that if we ask him politely, he can make the necessary arrangements for you". There was a small note of plea in her voice as she said this and Otonashi recognised it for what it was: - a cry out for companionship.

He considered her words but his head was aching to much that he really could not think straight. Iwasawa saw this and smiled. "It's ok. Like I said, we can talk about it once you're feeling better. In the meantime, could you just tell me one thing ...?" He watched as she leant in closer, her head looming ominously above his own.

"The last person to leave the afterlife ..."

"Was it you?"

Otonashi blinked up at her a few times, wondering why she had asked him this. Especially when he had promised to tell her everything that had happened in exchange for her support the previous night. He blinked up at her again and nodded slowly.

A small smile spread across Iwasawa's features. "I see! Well that's good news isn't it then ... I suppose ..." she said as she drew away from him and thought this over carefully. "Consider that a down payment for all the care and attention you're going to be getting over the next few days. You can go back to sleep now Yuzuru, I will watch over you" she reassured him.

The presence of her hand brought a great sense of warm and ease to him at this moment. With the conversation now over, Yuzuru Otonashi closed his eyes, and tried not to think about the pounding of his forehead. With the rain outside and the small ringing his ears it was not easy.

As if sensing this, Iwasawa applied a little more pressure to her hand and said, "Try not to focus on the pain Yuzuru. Focus on the sound of my voice. I will sing you a lullaby".

Concentrating with all his might, Otonashi did just that.

"That's right, just stay calm and focused!"

Her hand was running tenderly across the surface of the blanket.

"Everything is now going to be alright -" she said slowly.

With that Iwasawa started to hum ...

... a soft, gentle melody ...

... her favourite composition ...

... One that she had never forgotten the lyrics ...

...and something she had brought with her from the afterlife.

"NO!"

Otonashi's eyes shot open suddenly!

So, did Iwasawa's!

The peaceful tranquillity of the moment was shattered. Otonashi was sitting up, balancing himself precariously on one elbow, head turned to side coughing and retching violently into one hand. The other hand, his left was clutching Iwasawa's upper arm so tightly she thought the bone might snap.

"Ow Yuzuru, stop that you're hurting me!?" she gasped.

"Don't sing that -!" Otonashi breathed obviously, then sneezed. "Anything but that - song ...!"

Now Iwasawa was really confused. "Yuzuru, stop it!" she said desperately prying at the wrist with her own fingers. "What is it? What's -"

And then she realised.

"Oh!" she gasped as the full significance of what she had just done dawned on her. His eyes were considering hers pleadingly. Iwasawa's fingers uncurled and she gripped his hand gently with her own. "I'm sorry!" she said sincerely. "It's ok, now Yuzuru. It's ok. I won't sing that anymore".

His hold slackened slightly and she could disentangle his fingers. "This isn't the afterlife" she said as she continued to hold his hand gently, "I am not going to pass on this time remember?"

He allowed her to gently tuck the hand beneath his chin, then flopped back down on the pillows as she tucked the blanket over him. "I'm sorry ..." he breathed apologetically, with tears in his eyes.

"It's ok now," she reassured him. "You're not feeling yourself, and so you probably didn't realise!" She pulled the blankets up even higher and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Just lie still, and I'll sing another lullaby" she promised to trace her hand slowly across his shoulder blade.

Closing her eyes Iwasawa started to hum again. This time she hummed a simple rock song; one that brought comfort to her in her early days.

A simple song ...

... one that was relaxing ...

... upbeat ...

... full of joy ...

... and happiness...

As time passed, she could feel the tension in his muscles lessening. Though he coughed a few times and sniffed noticeably he didn't open his eyes. A few minutes later Yuzuru Otonashi's features relaxed completely and he was sound asleep.

Iwasawa waited until she was sure he was out of it, then slowly took her hand away and got to her feet. Turning away from him, she set off towards the kitchen and took care of the washing up; a few plates from last night's dinner, as well as Otonashi's medicine cup.

Once that was sorted, she looked up at the clock and saw that it was only nine o'clock. She contemplated going out, but an ominous clap of thunder told her otherwise. _Besides_ , she realised as she stole a glance at the sleeping figure behind her, _she had other priorities_.

The rain was still pounding heavily as Iwasawa sat down on the sofa and switched the television on. There was a music program on later that she wanted to record. The sound blared out Yuzuru Otonashi barely even stirred.

 _He really must be out of it_ , she realised as she turned the volume down and began setting up the video to record, _to have slept through that racket_.

It was going to be a long couple of days.

She made the last few adjustments and settled back on her sofa. As a few measly adverts ran by, she stole another glance at the sleeping figure across from her. She had barely slept a wink last night, and it wasn't just because of the storm ...

Yuzuru Otonashi was sleeping in her apartment!

Of all the people, she had expected to re-encounter from the afterlife, he was the one person she had been the most anxious to see ...

... and, the most hesitant.

The little encounter from earlier was still fresh in her mind.

He was being cautious.

And so was she.

Never the less, she sincerely hoped that he would accept her offer to move in with her.

Before any of that happened, however, she really did want to learn about everything that had happened since her departure from the afterlife. The only question was, would he be prepared to talk about it?

She hoped that he was ...

Her thoughts turned back to the way he had grabbed her arm a short while ago, and the pleading way he had looked at her.

Iwasawa was not stupid ...

... she knew exactly why he had done this!

This was why she needed to talk to him because they needed to address one very important issue.

In their previous 'life', they had been 'married' to each other.

Though neither of them said anything about it _yet_ , Iwasawa knew that he was still haunted by. The proof ...?

She had been humming 'My Song'!

The same the song that Iwasawa had been singing when she had died in earnest ...

... leaving Yuzuru Otonashi behind in the afterlife ...

* * *

 **End of Chapter 2**

 **To be continued ...**

* * *

Ok everybody, there we have it.

Sorry if it seems a bit rushed, I was just so desperate to finish this.

In any case, please let me know what you think this and anything that I can do to improve it.

Once again sorry it took so long.

Next up I will complete Gunray's Disposition.

See you all again, hopefully soon.

Until then, take care!

I'll see you all again at the next instalment!


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